Tippers Trucks For Sale

The tipper is the tough guy of the truck world. These are lorries that get tonne after tonne of rubble and other aggregates literally dumped on them and keep coming back for more. The stress on the bodies, hydraulics, suspension and other components can be extreme, so when you are looking at a used tipper you need to be certain that these features are still in good working order with plenty of life left in them.

You also need to carry out a bit of a sizing exercise. A used tipper is not the kind of truck you want to push to its limits, and you should ensure that the truck that you buy is going to be comfortably within its operating parameters when carrying out the type of work that you do.

This doesn’t have to be a major concern but just involves thinking through the type of work you are involved in. For example, if you work in demolition or site clearance with rubble and jagged aggregates, then an all-steel body is the best bet. This is the toughest lining available to combat the damage caused by rubble, but it does have an obvious trade-off in terms of weight and hence reduced payload and fuel economy.

For those operators who are involved with lighter work and less damaging loads, such as soil and sand in landscaping work, a bonded resin tipper floor and aluminium sides could offer a more economical option. There are also specialist tar and hot-load tippers with insulated bodies.

Once you have decided on the most appropriate tipper body, it is time to look at chassis and cab formats. Tippers come in a choice of front- or rear-wheel drive and can have short or long wheelbases. The weight rating you require may also influence your choice of single or double rear axles. The suspension set-up will also be a function of the sort of operating cycle you expect. The cab choice includes standard day cabs, sleeper cabs and crew cabs. You will also find some useful lockable tool areas on offer.

When buying a used tipper, you also need to look at the warranty situation. Often the tipper mechanism is treated separately from the rest of the truck and may only have a one-year warranty, as opposed to the standard three-year warranty on the rest of the truck. Clearly, this may be of less concern on an older tipper, but some newer models include a three-year warranty on the tipper mechanism and that could be valuable if buying a truck only a couple of years old. Longer warranties may also mean a slightly better standard of servicing during those years.

When buying a used tipper, it is vital to check that the hydraulic system is operating correctly. This takes the bulk of the workload and should be tested under a full load. Look for leaks or faults while it is being extended and check around rams and seals as these can be costly to repair or replace. Operation should be smooth and without any stutters. Lots of tippers spend much of their day off-road and on rough site tracks, which can be hard on the suspension. It is not unusual for trucks to be grounded on such tracks. It is worth looking carefully at the underside for signs of damage and having a good look at the suspension, steering and any other exposed components.

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